A Word from the Author: Hello everyone, it's jediclonecowgirl, with a new little one-shot. It's about, how it would've been, if the events after Chewbacca's funeral worked a bit differnently. Let's get in started, shall we?
Leia Organa Solo was getting impatiant. Her husband Han hadn't turned up at the "Milenium Falcon" and it was already dark on Kashyyyk. How could he have anyway? Today had been the day of Chewbacca's funeral. Chewbacca always had been Han's friend and they had been through so much together. They had tricked the Empire together, made many runs together, went through the time at the Rebel Alliance together, they shared a bonding, Leia couldn't even describe. Leia's twin brother Luke Skywalker was already making attempts to search for Han in the woods of Kashyyyk, Han's and Leia's older kids, Jacen and Jaina, were getting worried and the worst were Leia's and Han's youngest son Anakin Solo and Leia's, Luke's and Han's friend Lando Calrissian: They were blaming themselves for, what had happened.
"Alright, that's it. He's gone for too long. I am going to look for Han, just in case something happened.", Luke said, grabbing his lightsaber and his jedi cloak.
"I'm gonna come with you Luke. I need to apologize to Han for all this. If it hadn't been for me...", Lando began, but Luke cut him off.
"It wasn't your fault Lando and it also wasn't yours Anakin.", Luke said, facing his youngest nephew and his friend.
"It was. I should've asked...", Lando began.
"Don't talk like that!", Luke said.
"No really I...", Lando tried again.
"No, I don't even wanna discuss it!", Luke said, pulling on his jedi cloak and clipping his lightsaber onto his belt.
"Luke...please be careful.", Leia said.
"I will sister...I will.", Luke said.
"Please find him.", Jaina begged.
"I'll try my best Jaina.", Luke said to his niece.
Then, without another word, Luke left the ship, running into the forests of Kashyyyk. He hoped to find his brother-in-law. Han had been there, whenever Luke needed him, helped him with his jedi training, made him be the man he was now. Luke reached out in the force, trying to find Han. He used his feelings and then he began to run. Han really was in this part of the woods, but he was far away. Luke didn't know, if Han was injured. Luke didn't care, if he tripped over vines, or got head injuries, because of falling off small rocks. He reached out in the force again. He could feel Han. He was there. He was alive. He was close.
"Han!", Luke excaimed, activating his lightsaber.
"Han!", Luke yelled out again.
After a few meteres, Luke almost dropped his lightsaber in shock. There was Han, lying on the cold ground of the forest, his face burried in his arms, crying. Luke deactivated his lightsaber and clipped it back on his belt. Then he knelt down next to Han and gently touched his shoulder. Han reached for his blaster, but Luke reconized it next to Han on the ground.
"Shhh...Han. S'okay. It's me. Luke.", Luke said in a gentle voice, remembering, how Han always used to comfort him.
"Luke...?", Han croaked, his voice heavy with tears.
"Yeah...", Luke whispered and almost began to cry himself.
Han didn't move at first, but then he pushed himself up in a sitting position. His face dirty, because he pressed it on the ground of the forest and Luke even noticed wounds in it, Luke also saw wounds on Han's hands and he saw, that Han's clothes were torn and soaked with blood either. To make it clear: Han was a big mess. Han pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. This was such an volunarble way to sit, that Luke was getting more worried.
Luke barely reconized his old corellian friend, he met years ago at Mos Eisley. His friend, who always made the risky escape plans and, who was always called mad by Leia, before she had kissed him for the first time, but the same man was sitting there. Lost, sad, injured and helpless. Luke just wanted to hug him, not wanting to pull away, until Han had stopped crying, but he did something else first. He took his jedi cloak off and held it out to Han.
"Wrap yourself in it. You are ice-cold.", Luke whispered.
"Will just get dirty. Look at me.", Han said.
Luke took his jedi cloak and wrapped it around Han. Han relaxed slightly, but he did not look alright at all and Luke reconized that. Many people would think it had something to do with the force, but Luke had it in his personality, that he knew it, if people he loved weren't alright. He remembered Lando saying "Luke has a too thin skin. Pain always passes through it." once and he had been right, in some way.
"It's difficult for you eh?", Luke asked.
"Understatement of the year Luke.", Han said and sobbed again.
Luke sensed, that Han was not telling him the whole truth. He knew, that Han was sad about Chewbacca's death. He was sad too and so was everyone back on the "Falcon". He wrapped his arm around Han protectively and patted his shoulder. Han often hid away from him and the others, if something bothered him, but Luke knew, that, right now, he was in need of some comfort and he would get outta Han, what really was bothering him, but first he had to heal Han's injuries.
"If he returns like that, the others will think force-knows-what.", Luke thought, before grabbing Han's chin, with his other hand.
"You are a mess Han. Let me help you.", Luke said, after letting go off Han's chin.
After Luke brushed away the tears on Han's cheeks, he began to heal the wounds in his face with the force and he went on like that, with his other visible injuries. While Luke was treating Han, he felt his shoulders shaking and then another sob escaped the Corellian's mouth. Luke had kept his arm around Han and gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze.
"Han don't hold back your tears. I feel, that you need to cry. Just let it out Han. We are alone and to hold back your tears, when you really need to cry, is ten miles past healthy.", Luke whispered and then Han bursted in the tears.
Luke gently pulled Han closer to him, until Han's head was resting on Luke's chest. Luke gently stroked Han's brown hair, while Han was crying into Luke's chest. Han's shoulders shook violently. Luke just kept stroking Han's hair, thinking, what to do next. Taking Han back to the "Falcon", was not an option with Han in this condition. At the "Falcon" were Han's wife and oldest children, who were more then just worried and Han's friend and his youngest son, who were blaming themselves for all this. If they saw Han like this, they would only get worried and Anakin and Lando? Well...they would only blame themselves again, but they could definatly NOT spend the night out here. Otherwise they would probably freeze to death. Luke had known Chewbacca well and he knew, that the Wookie wouldn't have wanted them to follow him that soon. Han still had his family and Luke still had the jedi. The jedi master decided, that it would be the wisest thing, to stay here for the moment. He pulled Han closer to him and patted his shoulder, just as Han had done it, when Luke had been sad, and mumbled words of comfort into Han's ear. Suddenly Han tried to fight himself outta Luke's grip. Luke's first idea was to calm him down through the force, so he send calming waver of the force to Han. He slightly relaxed in Luke's arms, but Luke sensed, that Han didn't want his brother-in-law's comfort.
"What in the name of the force in wrong with you Han? Why did you try to get outta my arms? I only want to help you, so why do you try to fight me off?", Luke asked.
"Why...did...you come after me?", Han managed to get out.
"Because I was kriffin worried about you Han and I wasn't the only one, who was worried. Leia's worried, Jacen and Jaina are worried, Anakin blames himself for this and so does Lando and they are worried about you too!", Luke said, shocked at Han's question.
"I don't deserve your concern Luke! I don not deserve anyones concern! Don't you get it Luke?! It was MY FAULT, THAT HE DIED! MY ENTRIE FAULT! NOT LANDO'S, NOT ANAKIN'S, JUST MINE!", Han yelled out.
"Shhh Han shhh. It was not.", Luke said.
"My best friend in the entire galaxy. We went through everything together! Escaping star-destroyers, Lando's crazy bets, smuggling, our Alliance days and so much more and I gave up on him! I left him behind! He has risked his life for me more then just once and he also did for the entire gang and my children! He has even saved my daughter's life once and I gave up on him!", Han cried out, what was followed by another spill of tears.
"Shhhhh...calm down Han. You can not blame yourself for what happened. It was your duty to get as many people off-planet as possible. That Chewie had to stay and die there seemed to be the only right thing for him. He knew, that you would save countless lives, that way.", Luke said.
"...should've been me.", Han mumbled.
"Han Solo, I do not want to hear a thing like this from you again! Think about your family. All those people, who love you and care about you. Trust me...he wouldn't have wanted you to think like this.", Luke said gentle, but firm.
"You're right. That was stupid.", Han sighed.
Luke smiled and wrapped his jedi cloak tighter around his older brother-in-law. Han finally looked into Luke's eyes again. Han's eyes still looked empty to Luke.
"Kid?", Han began then.
With this Luke know, the old Han was getting back, since he hadn't called him "kid" anymore, since Chewbacca had died.
"You okay so far?", Han asked then and Luke knew, that Han was referring to the possibility, that Luke could be injured.
"I'm more worried about you Han.", Luke replied, looking at Han's injured form.
He then raised his other hand to pull up Han's torn shirt, so Luke could heal his wounds and after a few force-healings Han looked much better, then probably hours ago.
"I c-can f-fix your head.", Han stammered, reaching for a small box on his belt, but Luke took his arm and placed Han's hand on his lap.
"I will sort this out later.", Luke whispered.
"I can't go back to the others at the "Falcon". I can not look Lando and Anakin in the eye again, not to mention Leia, Jacen and Jaina. I can not look at anyone of them again.", Han sighed.
"They are all kriffin worried about you Han and it would be good, if could make Lando and Anakin stop blaming themselves for, what happened.", Luke murmured.
"Never knew, that you know Mando'a kid.", Han said.
"My sister taught me.", Luke replied.
"C'mon, let's go back. I hope they haven't started asking the Wookies around here, if the have seen us.", Luke said then, after a long moment of silence.
"Can you walk?", he asked afterwards, jumping to his feet.
Han made efforts to stand up and walk, but he couldn't. Probably he had twisted his ankle, while running.
"No.", Han groaned, after giving up trying.
Luke held out his hand to Han. Han took it and then Luke pulled him to his feet. Then Luke wrapped one arm around his shoulder and the other one around his back. This way, after Han had picked up his blaster, they walked all the way back to the "Falcon". There they were greeted by a tear-strained Leia and a shocked Lando. Jacen, Jaina and Anakin were already sleeping.
"Oh Han...you're alive!", Leia sobbed.
"Yeah...thanks to Luke.", Han sighed and he even smiled slightly, while he kissed Leia's cheek.
"Captain Solo, don't you ever do this again.", Lando said, grinning at Han.
"Yes Baron Calrissian.", Han said, grinning back at Lando and then he yawned.
"Can I go to sleep? I feel like I had just leaded another assault.", Han asked and then yawned again.
"Yes General Solo.", Leia whispered lovingly.
Leia took Han and leaded him away. Luke only managed to say good night to Han, since he was sure, that he wouldn't see Han anymore tonight. This only left Luke and Lando.
"How do you always manage a thing like this Luke?", Lando asked.
"I have my ways General Calrissian.", Luke replied, grinning.
"Good night Luke.", Lando said then, leaving the room.
"Night Lando.", Luke replied.
The jedi master knew, that the death of their friend Chewbacca was gonna be like a flying shadow over all of them, but he knew, that they would be able to do this together. Together...like a family.
Ending Word: Whew...took me two days to finish this one-shot. At least no record in slowness this time. *grins* Sorry, if I made mistakes with the "Expanded Universe"-stuff. Haven't read any of it and I got the basics of Chewbacca's death from jedipedia. Well then...everything I have left to say now is bye, bye and may the force be with you.